Former Ald. Proco ‘Joe’ Moreno leaves Cook County Jail, must undergo alcohol abuse treatment

Former 1st Ward Ald. Proco “Joe” Moreno walked out of Cook County Jail Friday, roughly a week after he was taken into custody for violating conditions of his bond in a pending felony case.

After granting Moreno $5,000 bail, Judge William H. Hooks told Moreno he must abstain from alcohol and has to undergo alcohol abuse treatment while he awaits trial.

Moreno is expected to pay for the treatment.

“I’m also saying zero tolerance for alcohol... You don’t want to stay here, do you?” Hooks asked Moreno, 48.

Moreno indicated he didn’t want to be locked up again.

“Well, I learned a lot,” Moreno said about about his stint in jail. “The staff and guards have a tough job and I respect them for what they do.”

The judge then warned the former alderman: “No more surprises, Mr. Moreno.”

Last week, Hooks revoked Moreno’s bail for violating condition of his bond in an ongoing felony fraud case by picking up a misdemeanor DUI case.

Moreno, on Dec. 27, crashed his vehicle into several others before hitting a tree in the 1200 block of North Astor Street, according to Chicago police.

He was charged with two counts of driving under the influence, one count of reckless driving and five counts of failing to report damage to an unattended vehicle.

In his pending 2019 felony case, Moreno loaned his 2016 Audi A6 to a woman he had previously dated and then filed a false police report when she took the car, saying that the car was stolen, prosecutors said.

Moreno, who lost his seat in City Council three months before that arrest, was charged with insurance fraud, disorderly conduct, obstruction of justice and filing a false police report.

Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times